Machine and process for drying crinkled paper



Sept. 25,1928 1,685,427

' w. A. LORENZ MACHINE AND PROCESS FOR DRYING CRINKLBD PAPER Filed Aug. 9, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 25, 1928.

- l,685. 427 W. A. LORENZ MACHINE AND PROCESS FOR DRYING CRINKLED PAPER Filed Aug. 9, 1927 2. Sheets-Sheet I n h.

Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WlILLIAM A, LORENZ, OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE OTAKA FABRIC COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTI- CUT.

AND PROCESS FOR DRYING CRINKLED PAPER.

Application filed August 9, 1927. Serial No. 211,761,

The present invention relates to a machine for, and the method of drying paper, and particularly elastic paper such as paper which has been cross crinkled or longitudinally corrugated and cross crinkled.

The aim of the invention is to provide an improved machine and process by means of which crinkled paper may be very economically and effectively dried without unduly flattening the crinkles or corrugations which have been formed in the paper.

Other objects will be in part obvious .and

in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter,

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein I have shown one embodiment which the present invention may take, I

Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus, the corrugating and crinkling rollers being shown diagrammatically, as the particular construction thereof forms no part of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged. view of a portion of one of the vacuum boxes and the associated cylinders. a

My'improved drying apparatus includes a succession of drying cylinders which in the present instance are three in number, these cylinders being designated by the numerals 10, 11 and 12. The cylinders are positioned so that they may deliver from one to the other in regular order. They are mounted in any suitable manner for rotation. In the present instance the cylinders are shown as being mounted in suitable frames 13 and as being driven through a train of gears 14. The cylinders are hollow and each is provided with an inlet-steam pipe 15 and an exhaust pipe 16. These pipes extend through the gudgeons of the cylinders and leakagg; of the steam is prevented by suitable stu g boxes 17. Obviously the number of cylinders employed will vary with the requirements to be met. 'It.may be stated generally, that for thin paper, such as thin tissue paper, a fewer number of cylinders will properly be emextends longitudinally of its respective cyl-. inder and has a blade-23 which extends up into the angle between the cylinder and the paper as it is laid on the cylinder. The ends and one side of each vacuum box may-have sealing strips 24 of felt or the like engaging the periphery of the respective cylinder in order to prevent leakage. Each vacuum box also has a pipe 25 leading to a suitable suction apparatus and each-of these pipes is provided with a valve 26 whereby the vacuum pressure in each of the boxes may be varied.

or adjusted at will. These valves may be of any suitable construction. Also the vacuum ,boxes' may be provided with drain pipes 28 *having suitable valves 29.

Preferably there is a slight space between the blade 23 of each vacuum box and the cylinder associated therewith in order that the vacuum exerted in the box may hold the paper to that cylinder-and also aid in transferring the paper from one cylinder to the next one. This pressure will be exerted to a greater extent'near the vacuum box and will gradually be reduced as the paper approaches the next cylinder.

In accordance with the present invention, the degree of vacuum in'the successive vacuumboxes is progressively higher, that is to say, a slight degree of vacuum may be created 'in the first Vacuum box 20, a greater degree of vacuum may be used. in the second suction box 21 and a still greater degree in the third box 22. The vacuum in these various boxes may, as stated, be regulated by the valves 26. Thus it will be seen that as the paper dries, a greater degree'of vacuum is utilized to hold the paper to the respective cylinders and this is permissible since as the paper becomes drier, it will withstand higher pressures without unduly flattening out the crinkles in the paper. As previously stated, the vacuum set up in the vacuum boxes assists in the transfer of the paper from one cylinder to another. Also the vacuums are of advantage in that 4 they aid in drying the paper. The vacuums draw the moistureinto the vacuum boxes and also draw the hot air into and through the vacuum boxes.

- The paper "is designated by the letter A.- This paper may be produced by means of any suitable paper making machine. By way of example I have shown in the drawings means for crinkling the paper similar to that shown in my Patent No. 1,548,788 dated August 4, 1925. In the present instance the means for corrugating and crinkling the paper is diagrammatically shown as comprising a pair of corrugating rollers 40 and 41 and a toothed roller 42 rotating in a direction opposite to and at a slower peripheral speed than the roller 41 with which it is matched.

. The operation of the machine is briefly as follows: 'The paper is taken from a suitable source ofsupply and led over a guide roller 43, then about and between the rollers or cylinders 40 and 41 where the paper is longitudinally corrugated, as indicated at A; then between the cylinder 41 and the differential roller or cylinder 42 where it is crinkled,

as indicated at A, Fig. 1. From the crinkling cylinder 42, the paper is delivered to the first drying cylinder 10. A slight degree of vacuum is set up in the vacuum box 20 and this vacuum in addition to holding the paper against the cylinder 10 aids in transferring the paper from the cylinder 42 to the cylinder l0. Also, as previously stated, the suction Within this box will draw moisture from the paper and also will draw hot air through the paper while the paper is in contact with the". heated cylinder. The crinkled paper is car-.-

' ried by the cylinder 10 to the cylinder 11 and at the point of transfer the suction box 21 has an action similar to the vacuum box-20.

However a greater vacuum is set up in the" vacuum box 21, this being permissible as the paper has become drier and therefore will stand the'extra pressure without the crinkles being fiattened'out. The paper is carried by the cylinder 11 to the cylinder 12-. The vacuum box 22 will have a greater-degree of vacuum than the preceding boxes and acts in the same manner as do the preceding boxes. Obviously in case the paperislongitudinally corrugated the heating cylinders may be circumferentially corrugated in order to match the corrugations in the paper. Also paper which is not corrugated may be operated upon, in which instance the corrugations in the rollers 40 and 41 will be omitted. e

As many changes could. be; made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodimentsof this inventionIcou-ld be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is'intended that all matter contained in the above description or 1 shown in the accompanying drawing shall be holding the paper with progressively inereasing pressures 'againtthe cylinders.

2. In a paper drying machine, a plurality of heated cylinders-about which the paper to be dried is successively passed, and suction means associated with each cylinder for hold- I ing the paper against the periphery thereof, saidsuction means having successively higher vacuum pressures.

3. In a paper dryingmachine, a plurality of steam heated ciylindersabout which the paper. is successively passed, a suction box associated with each cylinder and effective in the angle'betw-een the cylinder and the point at which the paper is led thereonto, and means for varying the pressure. in said boxes.

4 Ina-paper drying machine, a plurality 'ofsteam heated cylinders about which the paper is adapted to be successively passed, a vacuum box'associated "with each cylinder, each ofsaid boxes having a blade extending between adjacent cylinders and located between the cylinder associated therewith and the paper as it is laid thereonto, the vacuum pressure in each succeeding box being greater than the preceding one.

5. The process of drying crepe paper which consists in passing the paper about a succession of heated cylindersand subjecting the paper to increasing suction as it is laid onto the successive cylinders. i Q

WILLIAM A. LORENZ. 

